Guard for coin gauges



Nov. 10, 1942.

GUARD FOR com GAUGES Filed Feb. 20. 1941 D0 NOT DEPOSIT COIN BEFOREDIALING TO CALL A LOCAL NUMBER 1. Liltuu for dill tom. 2, Dial numberwant- 7 3. Whm call-d number-Inner: av will hnr dill *anl againandcpalit coin cm H TO MAKE ANY OTHER CALL I. Llltan for All! ion: 2. Oh!"O" (Operator)- ,6 3. Do I 00 c) 0 8 ya mvzmog .Szm son ATTORNEY R. s.s|MsoN I 2,301,824'

Patented Nov. 10, 1942 GUARD FOR COIN GAUGES Robie Seymour Simson,Quincy, Mass., assignor to American Telephone and Telegraph Company, acorporation of New York Application February 20, 1941, Serial No.379,799

- 2 Claims.

This invention relates to coin collecting mechanism and, moreparticularly, to guards for the coin gauges of such mechanism.

It has been found in connection with the use of coin collectingmechanisms, and particularly telephone coin collecting mechanisms, thatusers or subscribers sometimes deposit coins at the improper time. Thisis particularly true in cases where patrons or subscribers areaccustomed to prepay service and visit sections where postpay service isused. This practice is often the cause of improper service and otherundesirable complications.

It is an object of this invention to overcome these objectionablefeatures by providing a simple and inexpensive device which will serveas a guard over the slots of the collecting mechanism and also serve todefinitely draw patrons or subscribers attention to a direction cardcarried by the coin collector and upon which instructions are inscribedfor properly using the coin collector.

These and further objects of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description when considered in connection with theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a front elevational view,partly broken away, and showing the improved device attached to a coincollector of the dial service yp Fig. 2 is an end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front elevational view showing the device attached to a coincollector of the manual service type, and

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the improved device detached from thecoin collector.

Referring to the drawing, the reference 5 is applied to a casing orupper housing of a wellknown type of telephone coin collector. In Figs.1 and 2 this collector is shown equipped for dial service of thepostpayment type. In Fig. 3 the collector is shown equipped for manualservice of the postpayment type.

A coin gauge 6 is mounted on the top of the casing or housing 5 and ,isprovided with the usual coin slots into which various coins may beinserted in accordance with the charge which is to be made for thetelephone call. In Figs. 1 and 2 a holder plate I is shown mounted on aledge of the casing above the coin gauge 6, and in Fig. 3 this holder 1is shown attached to the casing 5 in a position beneath the coin gauge.This holder includes a frame which is shown as having a rectangularplate attached thereto.

This plate clamps a pane of transparent material and also a card inposition in a well-known manner. Directions are inscribed on the cardwhich set forth when and how coins should be deposited to properlyoperate the coin collector. These coins are deposited at the proper timein the slots 8, bearing the numerals 5, 10 and 25 of the coin gauge 6 inaccordance with the amount of money required.

An assembly including a frame 9 may be mounted in position on the casingillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, or on the casing illustrated in Fig. 3 ofthe drawing. The frame 9 is provided with a rectangular portion I0having openings II through which screws may be inserted to attach theassembly to the top or ledge of the casing 5 of the telephone coincollector, as indicated in Fig. 2. The frame 9 is bent to form anupwardly extending portion I2 which lies in angular relation to theportion I9. A strip I3 is bent forwardly from the inclined portion I2and forms a shoulder which rests on the top of the coin gauge 6. Thisforwardly extending portion or shoulder I3 is cut away and a strip I4 isbent in a substantially vertical direction therefrom. The strip l4 formsa stop for the transparent plate I5 and limits its rearward travel. Theextensions from the strip I3 at each end of the stop I4 are formed. intohinges l6, IS in which the ends of a pin II are pivoted. The plate ismade of suitable rugged transparent material and plastics or plasticmaterial have been successfully used for this purpose. The material ofthe plate l5 may be molded about the pin I1 leaving the ends of said pinfree to engage in the hinges I 5, I6.

The plate I5 is shown as being of substantially semi-circular form andthe pin II which provides a pivot therefor, extends through its upperedge. The downwardly extending portion of the plate I5 substantiallycovers the slots 8 of the coin gauge 6 and in its normal position formsa guard to prevent the insertion of coins in the slots of the coincollector. This transparent plate or guard I5 has to be raised in orderto permit coins to be deposited in the slots. The plate I5 automaticallyreturns to its normal position upon being released from its raised oroperated position. In Figs. 1 and 2 the lowermost portion of the platel5 rests against the top of the dial wheel I8, while in Fig. 3 thisportion of the plate rests against the forward portion of the top orledge of the casing 5. The transparent plate I5 is so designed andinscribed on the front or rear as to definitely call attention to thedirections for using the coin collector, such directions appearing inthe holder 1 illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the drawing.

While the arrangements of this invention have been described andillustrated as applied to telephone coin collectors, it will beunderstood that they are adapted and capable of application to coincollectors of other types.

What is claimed is:

1. In a telephone coin collector, a device to be operated by the user toperform certain functions in the establishment of a telephoneconnection, coin controlled equipment having a slot for receiving acoin, the operation of said equipment by a coin also taking part in theestablishment of said telephone connection, said, device and said coincontrolled equipment being required to be operated in a certain orderwith respect to each other to establish said telephone connection, amovable guard plate for said slot. designed to reveal the location ofsaid slot but to prevent insertion of a coin therein until the guardplate is displaced from its normal position by theuser, and designationson the guard plate to positively direct the attention of the user beforehe attempts to insert a coin, to the order in which said device and saidcoin controlled equipment are to be operated.

2. In a telephone coin collector, a device to be operated by the user toperform certain functions in the establishment of a telephoneconnection, coin controlled equipment having a slot for receiving acoin, the operation of said equipment by a coin also taking part in theestablishment of said telephone connection, said device and said coincontrolled equipment being required to be operated in a certain orderwith respect to each other to establish said telephone connection, amovable guard plate for said slot designed to reveal the. location ofsaid slot but to prevent insertion ofa coin therein until the guardplate is displaced from its normal position by the user, anddesignations on the guard plate to positively direct the attention ofthe user, before he attempts to insert a coin, to the order in whichsaid device and said coin controlled equipment are to be operated, saidguard plate being mounted to automatically return to normal positionwhen released.

ROBIE S; SIMSON.

